Today, a teller at a financial institution, e.g., banks, credit unions, savings and loans, etc., frequently uses a computer system or smart teller machine when providing services to a customer. (Hereinafter, teller computer systems and smart teller machines are referred to as workstations.) The teller uses the workstation to access financial records and to conduct transactions. Teller workstations normally include a rules engine, which verifies that the transactions being engaged in follow rules established by the financial institution. In the event that a transaction violates a rule, the rules engine detects the violation and signals a lock to engage. Once the lock is engaged, the lock prevents the workstation from completing the transaction.
To unlock the workstation, the teller must request an override from a supervisor. Normally, the teller determines which supervisor or supervisors are present to authorize an override, and may also have to decide which supervisor is not so busy that he or she cannot be interrupted. Then the teller requests the override. Normally, the supervisor must interrupt his or her work and come over to the workstation, at which point, the supervisor enters a code to unlock the workstation. While at the workstation, the supervisor might decide to authorize the transaction or deny the transaction.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.